little



R. H. LITTLE.

Patented sept. 27, 1892A.

G01N No. 483,255.

f, um e y Fogerg @f/MWQM' l f@ Z E (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. R. H. LITTLE. GOIN OPBRATBD VENDING MACHINE.

No. 483,255. Patented Sept. 27, 1892.

l I f (No Model.)v a sheets-sheen 3. R. H. LITTLE. G01N OPBRATBD VBND'ING MACHINE. No. 483,255. Patented Sept.`2`7, `1892.

r4 ff 7 f ff UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

ROBERT II. LITTLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO EVERELL I).

STILES, OF SAME PLACE.

COIN-OPERATED VENDlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 483,255, dated September 27, 1892.

Application iiled June 6, 1892. Serial No. 435,650. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern: p

Be it known that I, ROBERT H. LITTLE, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Coin-Operated Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specioation.

My invention relates to an improvement in vending-machines for delivering prepaid artcles of merchandise after the insertion into the machine of a coin, and more particularly in vending-machines of the class in which protected delivery mechanism is normally out of engagement with exposed operating mechanism therefor, and engagement between the two mechanisms is brought about by the insertion into the machine of a coin.

My object is to provide a vending-machine of the above character more especially for the delivery of small articles or packages of merchandise of oblong or other non-circular shape in cross-section and of an improved construction which will render it particularly economical to manufacture and reliable in its operation.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved machine, showing the casing for the reservoir portion in the form of a cigar mounted upona box or pedestal, which constitutes the casing for the delivery mechanism; Fig. 2, a sectional plan View showing the operating mechanism for the delivery mechanism; Fig. 3, a section taken on line 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a broken sectional plan view showing t-he rotary reservoir, its rotary supporting-plate, and a part of the operating mechanism therefor; Fig. 5, a broken section taken on line 5 of Fig. 4 and viewed in the direction of the arrow; Fig. G, a perspective view, enlarged, of packages or articles oi' merchandise, showing the manner of stacking the same in the reservoir; Fig. 7, a broken central section of the device, taken on line 7 of Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrow; and Fig. S, a section on line 8 of Fig. 7, viewed in a downward direction.

The machine illustrated is adapted to deliver rectangular articles oblong in cross-section, and Fig. 6 represents a stack of these articles, which, for example, may be boxes of matches. Thedevice is mounted for conven ience upon a base-board A and against a back board A. The lower portion of the device comprises a box B, provided with a stationary top plate t, and a front plate s, provided with a delivery-opening s. The plate t has a circular depressed portion t', in which it is provided with openings t2, t3, and t4. The opening t2 is of the shape of one of thearticlesX, (shown in Fig. 6,) and is of a size to permit the article to drop readily through it when the article is turned, as hereinafter described, to extend coincident with the opening. The opening t3 is toward the front of the platet and of a size somewhat less than that necessary to permit the passage through it of the coin. The opening t is large enough to permit the coin to pass through, and is located toward the rear side of the plate t, diametrically opposite the opening t3. On the top plate tis astationary c0vering-plate r, having a central circular opening surrounded by a iiange r and a slot r2, which is directly over and coincident with the slot t3 in the plate t. At its front and side edges the plate o' is provided with a'iiange r3, which at the front side is cut away to afford the elongated opening r4. Resting upon the plate t, around its depressed portion t', is a ring q, from which extends a lever q'. On the ring in the relative position shown in Fig. 2 is an inward-extending pin q2. The lever q extends outward through the elongated opening 014, and fastened at one end on the plate t and at its opposite end to the ring q is a retracting-spring g3, which operates to maintain the lever normally against the rightha'nd end of the opening r4. I'Vhen the lever q is in its normal position, the pin q2 is at the right-hand side of the slotsr2 t3.

Fitting loosely in the ring q and resting upon the depressed portion t of the plate tis a rotary circular plate p, having a central opening p and provided in its periphery with four radial slots p2, which are equidistant apart. Rising from the plate p and secured thereto at the side of the opening p is the reservoir C. The reservoir C comprises four strips o, iianged inward at their opposite longitudinal edges. The plates o are provided at their lower ends with outward-extending flanges o', at which they are secured IOO to the under side of the ring p, and at their upper ends with outwardextending flanges o2, at which they are secured upon a ring o3; The ring o3 operates merely to secure the strips o in rigid relation, and the strips constitute the four sides of the reservoir, which is open at the top and bottom and ot the shape in cross-section shown in Fig. 4..

In the base portion B of the device is an inclined chute n, which extends downward from the plate t at the rear of the opening t2 to the base-board A in the direction of the delivery- Vopening s', operating thus to divide the base portion into chambers m m. The articles X are inserted into the reservoir through the top of the latter 'and stacked to extend alternately in opposite directions, as indicated in Fig.V 6, the lowest article resting upon the plate t across the opening t2.

Housing. the reservoir C is a removable hollow casing D, which at its lower end fits around the flange r of the plate r. The casing shown in the drawings is shaped to represent a cigar and is the subject of a Design Patent No. 21,786, granted to me August 23, 1892. I do not limit myself in this application to any particular form of casing orhousing for the reservoir. As shown inthe drawings, the casing D may be provided near its top With a hasp Z, fitting over a staple Z on the back board A', and be secured in place by a padlock. Any other suitable means may be employed for securing the casing D in place.

In the initial position of the plate p, which forms the base-'plate around vtheV reservoir, 'one of the slots p2 is coincident with the slots r2 t3. The slot r2 is of a size which will just admit the passage through it of a coin ot" the value at which the articles to be vended are sold. Assuming that the articles are boxes of matches, which are to be sold for one cent each, the slot r2 will be just large enough to permit a cent to be passed through, and the slot t3 a trifle smaller. To obtain a box of matches, a cent is inserted into the slot r2, causing it to drop into the coincident slot or receptacle p2 of the plate p and rest in the latter, as indicated in Fig. '7, with its lower edge slightly above the plane of the upper surface of the plate t. The lever q is then turned from its normal position to the opposite end of the opening r4, the ring qturningvvith it. As the lever is thus moved, the pin q2 engages the coin near its edge. As the coin is moved, its engagement with the plate p causes the latter to be turned and rotate the reservoir and its contents. The opening r4 is of a length which permits the lever q when swung the full distance to turn the plate p exactly onequarter of a revolution, whereby the next slot p2 is brought into coincidence with the slots r2 t3. The reservoir C being turned the distance of a quarter-revolution carries with it the articles of merchandise, and the lowest article X is brought coincident with the opening t2, through which it drops onto the chute fn, to the delivery-opening s. The other articles in the reservoir drop until the lowest re- Y maining article rests upon the plate t at a right angle to the opening t2 across the latter. Vhen the lever q is released, it is returned by the spring Q3 to its initial position. When on the insertion ot another coin the operation is repeated, the Iirst coin put into the machine is carried around to the opening t4, through which it drops into the receptacle or compartment m. No coin larger than that of the proper value can be passed through the slot fr?, and any coin orpiece of metalV of smaller size will drop down through the opening lf3. If no coin is inserted in the slot r2, the pin q2 will slide over the plate p when the lever q is turned and the plate p and reservoir will remain stationary. In the back board A, at the compartment m', is a door m2, through Which access may be had to that compartment when it is desired to remove the coins.

With slight modifications the machine may be adapted for the delivery of articles of any other shape in crosssection, (excepting the circular orm,) the opening t2 being made to conform to the shape of the article and permit it to pass through when turned on its axis to the proper angle.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isM

l. In a vending-machine for delivering noncircular articles, a reservoir in which the articles to be vended are stacked one upon the other to extend alternately at different angles, meansV for turning the stack on a central longitudinal axis, and a stationary plate against which the stack bears at one end, having a non-circular opening to admit the passage through it of an article only when the stack is turned to a certain relative angle, substantially as described.

2. In avend ing-machine for delivering noncircular articles, the combination of a rotary reservoir adapted to receive a single column of the articles to be vended, said articles being stacked one upon another to turn with the reservoir, the axis of rotation of the reservoir and contents being in a line through the longitudinal center of the said column of articles, means for turning the reservoir and contents on their axis, and astationary plate against which the column of articles rests at one end, having a non-circular opening through which the articles pass when turned gio IIO

to a certain relative angle, substantially as described.

3. In a coinbperated vending-machine for delivering non-circular articles, the combinanation, with a stationary base-plate provided with a non-circular opening through which the articles pass by gravity when turned to a certain angle, of a bottomless rotary reservoir upon the base-plate in which the articles are stacked one upon the other to rest upon lthe base-plate across said non-circular opening and extended alternately at different anwhich the articles drop when turned Withthe reservoir to a certain angle, ofa rotary plate around and integral with the reservoir, provided with radial slots, each arranged to receive and hold a coin, and a spring-controlled lever operating when turned against the resistance of its spring to engage a coin introduced into one ot' said radial slots and through the medium of the coin rotate the reservoir, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ROBERT H. LITTLE. In presence of- M. J. FROST, J. W. DYRENFORTH. 

